Hat-curling machine.



8.1. MILLER.

HAT CURLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-20. 1914.

1,145,076, Patented July 6, 1915.

r 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v ,fl 43 6 0 O o o 2 I s 44 a 3 /r'\\ 4 4 J 4 I I Y i r CD 1 @g fig 5 J4 3 g 4 4 53 4 .53 Z 48 WITNESSES: INVEIVTOR SWMM A TTOR/VEV s.1.MILLER.

HAT CURLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-20., 1914.

1,145,076. Patented July 6,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 34 48. 5 35 g 2 13 22 i 44 4. 3o 31 g .537 39 3 2 "g 329 7 O E 56 /49 45 E 47 38 2 :1- 46 2 Z 25 5 2 lfl fl WITNESSES: W

A TTOR/VEY COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH C0,,WASHINGTON. D, c.

STEPHEN J. MILLER, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

HAT-CURLING ivmcinnn.

iaaoae.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Application filed August 20, 1914. Serial N 0. 857,662.

To all 2071 am it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Danbury, county of F airfield, State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHat-Curling Machines; and I do declare the followlng to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to'which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to the art of curling hat brims, but is moreparticularly intended as an improvement on the machine shown anddescribed in Letters Patent No. 1,100,899, issued to me June 23, 1914.

My present invention relates particularly to a new form of curling tool,to means for constantly holding the hat in proper position so that theproper depth of curl will be automatically effected, to certain meansprovided for opening the curled portion of the hat when the latter ispassed through the machine more than once, to instrumentalities providedfor making a welt curl when necessary, and to the provision of a heatingpocket at the rear of the shackle so that the latter may be moreeffectually heated.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedmachine- Fig. :2 an elevation partly in sectionFig. 3 is a detail planview of the curling tool Fig. at a detail broken sectional elevation ofthe curling tool and the parts immediately associated therewitheFig. 5 adetail rear elevation of the curling shackles with the welt tool inposition thereinFig. 6 a de tail sectional elevation of the curlingshackle and welt tool, and Fig. 7 a detail frontelevation of the welttool.

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figuresof the drawing.

While I have illustrated the various constructions and mechanisms forrevolving the feed rolls and the curling tool, I will not describe thesame herein because they are identical with the corresponding meansshown and described in said Letters Patent, but I will confine thepresentdescription to the novel features that are identified with thepresent invention.

The curling tool in my patented structure referred to was made up ofsegments operated by centrifugal force, and while this tool performedits function in a highly satisfactory manner, the centrifugally operatedportions thereof were apt to become broken or badly worn owing to thehigh speed at which the tool must be run. It therefore became advisableto provide a rigid curling tool which would beat against the brim withgreat rapidity and would also perform an ironing and smoothingoperation.

53 is a vertical shaft j ournaled within a rigid sleeve 48, which shaftand sleeve are identical with the corresponding parts shown anddescribed in said Letters Patent. Rigidly secured to the bottom'of thisshaft immediately below the sleeve is my improved curling tool 1, whichtool is made up of a plurality of radially extending combined beater andironing elements. This tool extends within the curling shackle 2 and hasa resilient play just as in the patented structure. In the formation ofthe curling tool each radially projecting element has a comparativelybroad circumferential ironing surface 3 and a comparatively narrow roundhammer portion 1 which hammer portions extendin the direction of therevolution of the curling tool. I As the heated brim passes between thecurling tool and the heated shackle, the hammer portions 4 will beatwith great rapidity against the inside of the curled portion therebyhardening the same to cause the fur fibers to knit exceedingly close sothat the curled portion will be very stiff and will thereafter hold itsshape. Immediately following the action of a hammer portion a theironing surface 3 will operate against the hat brim and smooth and ironthe same firmly so that every portion of the curled brim is not onlysubjected to the hammering process but also to a comparatively prolongedironing operation.

The results efibcted by my present curling tool are about the same asthose that are brought about by the centrifugally operated curlingdevice set forth in my patent aforesaid, but my present device is farmore durable and will stand a high rate of speed, and therefore isgreatly to be preferred. lVhile I have shown three of these radiallyextending portions in the construction of my curling tool, it will beobvious that I can utilize any number of such portions, and I thereforedo not wish to be limited in this respect.

rte-ll 5 is a plate which extends within the shackle and is curved andshaped at the rear edge soas to conform closely to the contour of therear inner wall of the shackle. The rear edge of this plate thus shapedis always in close contact with the rear inner wall of the shackle.

6 is an arm rising from the forward edge of the plate and extendingrearwardly above the top of the shackle and spaced therefrom, and driventhrough the h0ri zotally extending portion of this arm is a thumb screw7 whose lower end abuts against the top wall of the shackle, so that itwill be clear that when this thumb screw is driven down it will raisethe plate 5 against the roof of the shackle. For convenience in guidingthe plate 5 I can provide a suitablechannel 8 within the top surface ofthe shackle within which channel the lower end of the screw 7 extends.On the upper face of this plate 5 is an incline 9 which slopesdownwardly toward the curling tool so that when the plate 5 is movedoutwardly to its full extent, or, to the position shown at Figs. 1 and 5the driving of the screw 7 against the shackle will cause the plate 5 tobe elevated snugly against the roof of the shackle, and this is theposition of this welt tool during the ordinary curling operation.

When .it is desired to make a welt curl, the screw 7 is relaxed and theplate 5 moved inwardly so that the incline 9 will operate against theroof of the shackle and thereby effect the lowering of such plate. Theplate 5 is moved inwardly so that more or less of the inclined portionmay be effective, ac-

cording to the nature of the welt desired, it being clear that if thisplate be moved inwardly so that the highest part of the incline willhave engaged the roof of the shackle then the bottom surface of theplate 5 will be comparatively close to the fioorof the shackle for thepurpose of effecting a very firm and tight welt curl.

In order to retain as muchof the heatas possible and to get full benefitof the same. I provide at the rear of the shackle a heating pocket 10within which the heating agent extends, and I find that by the use of.such pocket the heat is better diffused and a quicker and more uniformheating of the shackle effected.

As above explained, there is nothing new in the feeding rolls 13, 19,between which the hat is delivered to the curling instrumentalities,but, in connection with the devices for guiding the hat to the feedrolls, I have provided a curl opener which operates to open the curledportion of the brim of the hat when the'latter is passed several timesthrough the machine.

29 is a plate, secured to. the bed of the machine designated by A,having formed integral therewith a vertically disposed guide plate 30,and 31 is a lever pivoted to the outer end of this plate 30. The freeend of this lever 31 terminates in the downwardly extending open hookportion 32 and said lever is normally elevated by means of a spring 33which bears against the bottom edge of the forward or free end. of saidlever. i v

34 is a lug which extends from the upper edge of the inner portion ofthe guide plate 30 and overhangs a little toe 35 that extends laterallyfrom the lever 31 and through this lug 34 a thumb screw 36 is drivendownwardly against the too 35, so as to force the lever 31 downwardlyagainst the resiliency of the spring 33, the construction and operationof all these parts being precisely the same as illustrated in my patentabove referred to. ButI provide the outer depending portion ofthe openhook 32 with an outwardly flaring curl opener 20, this curl openerextending immediately inv front of the face of the plate 30, so thatwhen a hat brim is placed against the plate 30 and moved toward the openhook portion 32 it will primarily'beengaged by the outwardly flaringcurlopener and will be positively guided within the hook portion 32.After a hat has been curled and it is desired to pass the same once ortwice more through the machine this curl opener will open thecurledportions as fast as they come in contact therewith so that theymay be properly delivered between the feed rolls and thence to thecurling ,instrumentalities.

The heating pocket 10 is opposite the curling tool 1 so that it will beclearly understood that the hat brim will be amply heated at the pointwhere the curling tool cooperates with the shackle inperforming thecurling operations.

In utilizing my prior'patented construction it was necessary that theoperator present by hand the brim to the action of the curling devices,but I have made provision whereby the brim may be presented to thesedevices automatically and uniformly so that that part of the brimsubjected to the curling operation is uniform at all times with the sameadjustment; of this gage, and this makes the machine automatic so thatone operator can attend to several machines.

In carrying out the provisions of my improvement last mentioned Iprovide a lever 50 which is pivoted to the bottom of the bed of themachine at 37 and midway the length of this lever extends an arm 38which carries at its end a pin 39 that projects up through an arcuateslot 40 in the bed of the machines and carries on its upper extremityabove the bed a curved member 41 which has a smooth convex surfacepresented toward the curling devices. A coil spring 42 connects thislever with any stationary part of the machine below the bed,vso thatwhen the member 41 is moved outwardly through the slot 40 it will bereturned by means of this spring, and therefore it will be clear thatthe movement of this lever and member 41 is resilient. I provide a se;ries of holes 43 through the bed plate, through which holes a pin 44 maybe inserted to act as an abutment for the. lever 36 to limit the inwardmovement thereof and consequently the inward movement of the member 41.

In curling a hat brim the member 41 is inserted within the crown of thehat so as to lie snugly against the side thereof, and the pin 44 isinserted within the proper hole 43 so that the member 41 will bestationary as far as any movement toward the curling devices isconcerned.

In a hat having a very wide brim the member 41 will of course benormally separated a greater distance from the curling devices, and thepin 44 will be placed in one of the outer holes 43possibly the outermosthole, and in curling a narrow brim the reverse of these adjustments willbe made. Also, it is sometimes necessary to put quite a deep curl on abrim, and in such instance the member 41 would be adjusted closer to thecurling devices so as to present a greater portion of the brim forcurling.

In all instances, when the member 41 is within the hat crown it liessnugly against the side of the same and only a predetermined depth ofthe brim can be presented to the curling devices, and therefore myimproved machine is automatic in this respect, and for this reason oneoperator may attend to several machines, since, after a curlingoperation on one machine is really completed, it is immaterial how manytimes the hat brim runs through the curling devices. Of course the pin39 could be surmounted above the bed plate with an ordinary roller, ifdesired, and I do not therefore wish to be limited to the arcuate member41.

In my patented improvement aforesaid I provide a pivoted lever 22 whichengages the heel end of a slide 15 in the forward end of which isjournaled the idle feed roll 19, and I connect this lever with a treadlerod 25, so that when the treadle is depressed the slide would beoperated to separate the feed rolls, and I employ this identicalconstruction in the present instance, and I have identified the parts bythe same numerals of reference. Journaled within a hanger 45 below thebed plate is a pulley 46, and the lever 36 has a slight extension 47beyond its pivotal point, and to this extension is connected a chain 49which is led over the pulley 46 and secured at its other end to thelever 22, so that it will be clear that when the treadle rod 25 isdepressed the member 41 will be moved outwardly through the slot 40 andsimultaneously the feed rolls will be separated.

In removing a hat or in placing a hat on the machine in position forcurling, the operator simply depresses the treadle (not shown) in orderto space apart the feed rolls and to withdraw the gage member 41, andwhen the treadle is released the parts are restored to normal positionsand the gage lever 36 will be arrested by the pin 39 which had beenplaced in the proper hole 43 according to the width of brim or depth ofcurl desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A hat brim curler, comprising a curlingshackle and a curling tool, a welting member within said shackle, andmeans for adjusting said member to operative or inoperative positions.

2. A hat brim curler, comprising a curling shackle, a revoluble curlingtool within said shackle, a welting plate having its rear edge snuglyconformed against the rear inner wall of said shackle, and means foradjusting said plate at different distances from the floor of saidshackle.

3. A hat brim curler, comprising a curling shackle, and a revolublecurling tool consisting of a plurality of spaced radially extendingmembers.

4. A hat brim curler, comprising a curling shackle, and a revolublecurling tool consisting of a plurality of spaced radially extending armshaving hammer portions and elongated circumferential ironing portions.

5. In a hat brim curler, the combination with the feeding and guidingmeans of a curl opener preceding said guiding means and consisting of anoutwardly flaring portion inte ral with said means.

6. In a hat brim curler, the combination of the feeding means, thedevice for regulating the depth of curl, outwardly flaring meansintegral with said device for opening the curl.

7 In a hat brim curler, the combination of the feeding means and theguide plate, with the vertically adjustable downwardly extending openhook portion for regulating the depth of curl, the outer wall of saidportion extending rearwardly and flared to form a curl opener.

8. A hat brim curler, comprising curling instrumentalities, and meansengageable with the inside of the hat crown for autoties, a gage forproperly presenting the brim to the curling instrumentalities, and meanscontrolled by the operator for simul- Gopies of this patent may beobtained for 'taneously separating said rolls and retract ing said gage.

11. In a hat brim curler, the combination of the curlinginstrumentalities, with aresilient adjustable gage for automaticallypresenting the brims to the curling instrumentalities. g

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in'presence of tWo Witnesses.

STEPHEN J. MILLER.

Witnesses:

E. ROLAND CROFUT, ELLIS R. ROGERS.

five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington,D. 0'. 1

